After a few viewer requests, we decided to do a Sixty Symbols video about the new game Portal 2.
It's a game with a lot of science content.
Physicist Professor Phil Moriarty agreed to buy the game and play it - then give his verdict.
Fellow Professor Ed Copeland (a particle physicist and cosmologist) hadn't played the game, but agreed to chip in because he knew a bit about wormholes!
As you can see from the video, I made a few cuts (and made a few jokes about it at Phil's expense). So it was only fair I also upload some of the extra footage.
Here's more from Phil.
And more from Ed.
Thursday, 28 April 2011
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
Over the Daily Allowance?
Seems I overdosed on alcohol-related videos yesterday.
First there was this video about the chemistry of alcohol for The Periodic Table of Videos.
Then there was this one for Backstage Science about Champagne moments on a particle accelerator.
I'm not an alcohol advocate or opponent, but here are more of my science videos in which alcohol has featured in some way...
First there was this video about the chemistry of alcohol for The Periodic Table of Videos.
Then there was this one for Backstage Science about Champagne moments on a particle accelerator.
I'm not an alcohol advocate or opponent, but here are more of my science videos in which alcohol has featured in some way...
New Jersey School
Always love getting photos from entire classes that watch our videos.
This 7th Grade Class is from New Jersey:
More class photos at this link.
Email us at periodicvideos@gmail.com
This 7th Grade Class is from New Jersey:
More class photos at this link.Email us at periodicvideos@gmail.com
Monday, 25 April 2011
Sixty Symbols - The Easter Egg
Regular viewers will be aware of our recent Easter egg-themed series.
You can see them all at this link.
But they've been trumped by this egg given to one of our stars - Professor Roger Bowley.
Professor Bowley received the egg as a gift for Easter and his recent milestone birthday.
As you can see, it's decorated with some of the symbols used in our project so far.
Professor Bowley tells me it was made by one of our viewers - Sarah from Wildberry chocolates! Click here for a better look at the egg.
Below is Professor Bowley's video from our recent egg series.
You can see them all at this link.
But they've been trumped by this egg given to one of our stars - Professor Roger Bowley.
Professor Bowley received the egg as a gift for Easter and his recent milestone birthday.
As you can see, it's decorated with some of the symbols used in our project so far.
Professor Bowley tells me it was made by one of our viewers - Sarah from Wildberry chocolates! Click here for a better look at the egg.Below is Professor Bowley's video from our recent egg series.
Friday, 22 April 2011
Eggs and Curing Cancer
Okay, no more egg puns.
But pleased to say we've finished our collection of "Easter Specials for Sixty Symbols".
They've been well received and attracted some attention from various media and bloggers.
Here are some examples from a Guardian Blogger and New Scientist.
Looking at the YouTube comments, the response has been overwhelmingly positive.
But of course you get a few comments about wasted time. A typical example, using a rather tired cliche:
"This is what scientists do instead of trying to cure cancer"
These comments tend to get hounded down by other viewers, who respond with comments like:
"Why people are moaning about this is why they haven't cured cancer and about wasting time... for all anyone knows this was done in free time and even the most random things can bring out good ideas... plus no one can expect anyone to be solidly working all day"
It's not an issue that bothers me. But sometimes I feel like responding.
First I'd say all videos like this are done in downtime. We wait for opportunities when the equipment's not being used for real science.
Sometimes we wait for weeks or months.
For example, the MRI scanner (a research scanner which isn't used for medical work) was used after work on a Tuesday night - and we waited weeks for the chance.
And outreach is an important part of science... In fact, "public engagement" is REQUIRED when most science is funded these days!
So rather than simply visiting a local school and explaining your job - why not be creative and find new audiences?
These egg videos have clearly reached a mixed audience.
And while it's not always showcasing REAL research, it is based on real work.
The videos contain information about the equipment, principles and work of scientists - sometimes we've just been subtle about it.
I'm sure some of our viewers have subsequently sought more information about biomechanics or MRI or pendulums or extra dimensions.
As one young viewer wrote: "Thanks for this, tomorrow I will ask some of my teachers on college about this."
At the very least we've YouTube viewers to think about science... And that can't be bad?
Who knows? Maybe one of those youngsters will go on to cure cancer one day!?
Oh, and we've demonstrated one other important fact that's often overlooked...
Scientists are just like everyone else - they like to have fun at holiday time!
But pleased to say we've finished our collection of "Easter Specials for Sixty Symbols".
They've been well received and attracted some attention from various media and bloggers.
Here are some examples from a Guardian Blogger and New Scientist.
Looking at the YouTube comments, the response has been overwhelmingly positive.
But of course you get a few comments about wasted time. A typical example, using a rather tired cliche:
"This is what scientists do instead of trying to cure cancer"
These comments tend to get hounded down by other viewers, who respond with comments like:
"Why people are moaning about this is why they haven't cured cancer and about wasting time... for all anyone knows this was done in free time and even the most random things can bring out good ideas... plus no one can expect anyone to be solidly working all day"
It's not an issue that bothers me. But sometimes I feel like responding.
First I'd say all videos like this are done in downtime. We wait for opportunities when the equipment's not being used for real science.
Sometimes we wait for weeks or months.
For example, the MRI scanner (a research scanner which isn't used for medical work) was used after work on a Tuesday night - and we waited weeks for the chance.
And outreach is an important part of science... In fact, "public engagement" is REQUIRED when most science is funded these days!
So rather than simply visiting a local school and explaining your job - why not be creative and find new audiences?
These egg videos have clearly reached a mixed audience.
And while it's not always showcasing REAL research, it is based on real work.
The videos contain information about the equipment, principles and work of scientists - sometimes we've just been subtle about it.
I'm sure some of our viewers have subsequently sought more information about biomechanics or MRI or pendulums or extra dimensions.
As one young viewer wrote: "Thanks for this, tomorrow I will ask some of my teachers on college about this."
At the very least we've YouTube viewers to think about science... And that can't be bad?
Who knows? Maybe one of those youngsters will go on to cure cancer one day!?
Oh, and we've demonstrated one other important fact that's often overlooked...
Scientists are just like everyone else - they like to have fun at holiday time!
Thursday, 21 April 2011
Roger's Birthday
Today is the birthday of Queen Elizabeth II (her real birthday, as opposed to the day everyone in England celebrates it).
But more importantly it is the birthday of Professor Roger Bowley, one of Sixty Symbols regular contributors.
He's also the owner of many loud shirts - but let's not discuss that!
It was a milestone birthday (somewhere midway between between 60 and 70) and this means Professor Bowley's retirement from academic life is imminent.
However today he promised me he'll still be chipping in with contributions to Sixty Symbols.
It seems like just yesterday I was knocking on his office door and introducing myself as a guy planning to make videos about physics.
I'd been told he might be good at it.
Roger seemed bemused but eventually agreed to do it.
And he is good at it.
Here are just some of his videos since that fateful day:
But more importantly it is the birthday of Professor Roger Bowley, one of Sixty Symbols regular contributors.He's also the owner of many loud shirts - but let's not discuss that!
It was a milestone birthday (somewhere midway between between 60 and 70) and this means Professor Bowley's retirement from academic life is imminent.
However today he promised me he'll still be chipping in with contributions to Sixty Symbols.
It seems like just yesterday I was knocking on his office door and introducing myself as a guy planning to make videos about physics.
I'd been told he might be good at it.
Roger seemed bemused but eventually agreed to do it.
And he is good at it.
Here are just some of his videos since that fateful day:
Wednesday, 20 April 2011
bis (bis (N-trimethyl silylimino diphenyl phosphorano) methanide uranium iodo) toluenediide
I don't have much to say about this video.
I just wanted to use the compound's name as a blog title to see what it looked like!
This is Steve Liddle explaining a paper he published in Nature Chemistry about "Magnetic Uranium" and the (slim) possibility of this notorious element being used in computer hard drives.
Professor Poliakoff did not work on this research, but we took advantage of his explaining skills.
Its always good to feature the real work being done by the stars of our videos.
It was also interesting to see that Steve had made a new compound but couldn't remember its name.
I don't blame him.
I just wanted to use the compound's name as a blog title to see what it looked like!
This is Steve Liddle explaining a paper he published in Nature Chemistry about "Magnetic Uranium" and the (slim) possibility of this notorious element being used in computer hard drives.
Professor Poliakoff did not work on this research, but we took advantage of his explaining skills.
Its always good to feature the real work being done by the stars of our videos.
It was also interesting to see that Steve had made a new compound but couldn't remember its name.
I don't blame him.
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